From:
Karen Purcell, DVM
Date: 2001-04-08 08:23:00 UTC
Subject: Re: blood test and urine analysis
> My ferret had a blood test a month ago indicating insulinoma. My vet
> is not ferret knowledgeable but very willing to learn. A follow-up
> blood test is being done tomorrow. My question is what should he be
> testing for in the blood and the urine? The reason for urine
> testing is I want to be sure there isn't any infection going on. We
> do not have a list of what the normal readings should be. Can someone
> provide this info? Thanks for your help.
>
You should be doing a fasting (3 hour) blood test to check the
blood glucose level. If the first test was under 50 mg/dl, don't
fast! Normal blood glucose levels are 90-15om mg/dl, depending on
your lab. I use a handheld glucometer, carefully checked before use
for accuracy in ferrets and diabetic cats. The urine test will check for a
urinary tract infection by determining any blood, white blood cells, bacteria,
etc that may be present. Generally, I do not find urinary tract infections in
insulinoma cases.
Hope this helps,
-Dr. Karen
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